On Monday 15 September 2025, Southampton welcomed the Regional Premiere of A Night Like This – the debut feature from director and colleague Liam Calvert, with writer and producer Diego Scerrati.
​
The film follows two seemingly mismatched men who forge an unexpected bond over the course of a cold London night. Starring Alexander Lincoln, Jack Brett Anderson and David Bradley, A Night Like This will open in cinemas nationwide from 26 September.

Before its wider release, it was important to Liam that the film was celebrated here in Southampton. Several crew members are alumni of Solent University, and the project was supported locally by City Eye, which provided equipment and student runners through its training programmes, including the BFI Film Academy Short Course. City Eye’s Head of Production, Aaron West, contributed as B-Cam operator, while Haven Bear – a former City Eye trainee and the artist behind Southampton Film Week’s striking posters – designed the film’s artwork, promotional materials and credits.

Audiences gathered at Harbour Lights Picture House Cinema for the premiere, which concluded with a Q&A featuring Liam and Diego, chaired by City Eye director Susan Beckett. The discussion explored the realities of making an independent film on a limited budget, the power of creative collaboration, and the journey to casting the lead roles of Lukas and Oliver.

The conversation sparked lively audience engagement, with some curious about the characters’ futures and others eager to purchase the film on DVD.

Reviewer Joy McKay praised the film, writing: “This film engaged me, delighted me, made me cry. It is skilfully crafted from writer, director, lead actors, supporting cast and crew.” You can read Joy’s full review [here].

City Eye is immensely proud of Liam, Diego, and the entire team behind A Night Like This. We are excited to see the film reach audiences across the UK and to follow the future achievements of its talented cast and crew.

Watch the filmmaker Q&A on the City Eye YouTube Channel.

City Eye supported Liam and his film in early 2024, not only providing essential equipment but also creating industry pathways for emerging filmmakers. Three of our BFI Film Academy Short Course students and two members of City Eye’s 1825 Filmmakers Group gained invaluable hands-on experience on the production. Additionally, City Eye’s Head of Production, Aaron West, contributed as B-Cam operator.

City Eye’s Executive Director, Susan Beckett, also celebrated Liam’s achievement: "I couldn’t be more proud of Liam, Aaron and Ven - all members of our team and contributors to this project - not to mention our students and trainees who joined the production. The future of film feels bright today."

​A Night Like This features the work of Haven Bear ‘Ven’, a non-binary graphic designer and artist who collaborates with City Eye and Southampton Film Week. Ven, known for designing the festival’s striking posters, has also created promotional materials for the film, as well as titles & credits.

Southampton Film Week 2024 was a true celebration of cinematic creativity, bringing together filmmakers, audiences, and industry professionals for an unforgettable week of screenings and events. This year’s festival shone a spotlight on emerging talent and creativity, particularly through Short Story Cinema -Regional Showcase, which provided a platform for local voices to share their stories with a wider audience.
The much-anticipated SFW: Shorts screening and awards highlighted the incredible skill and innovation of filmmakers, offering a space to celebrate short-form storytelling at its finest. 

Pictured: Verona Rose presenting the award for Best Music Video to regional filmmakers Helen Burdfield, Sasha Sinkler & Harvey Cecil for 'The One' by Fred Lane.

Southampton Film Week delivered fantastic audience experiences and continued its strand of music & film with standout moments such as the Buster Keaton double-bill of Sherlock Jr. and The Navigator at Turner Sims.  The films were accompanied by a live piano score  performed by BFI Southbank resident pianist Meg Morley. 

At Southampton O2 Guildhall, audiences enjoyed a stunning screening of Buster Keaton's The General. This silent masterpiece came alive thanks to the incredible talents of Donald Mackenzie, who performed a breathtaking live score at the Compton Organ.

​BFI Film Academy 2024-25
The BFI Film Academy Short Course at City Eye is in full swing! As our talented students gear up for their production shoot, the energy is buzzing with creativity and collaboration. 

Since October, students have refined their skills and learned from an array of industry experts that include screenwriter Caroline Sax, director Liam Calvert, production designer Holli Burrows and audio editor Ozgen Alpoglu. Stay tuned as we follow the journey of these budding creatives.

Work Experience at City Eye
At City Eye we receive a great many requests every year from young people wishing to undertake work experience with us. Regrettably we are unable to offer placements to everyone that asks; we are a small team and won't create a placement if we are not confident that we have the capacity to offer a constructive and positive experience for the individual. However, this year we have been able to offer placements for Laurence, Ciara, Ethan & Freddie. 4 young people seeking to start their careers in the film industry. 

A Night Like this - Feature Film Support
Early in the year, City Eye supported Director Liam Calvert on his first feature film, 'A Night Like This.'

"A stone-broke gay actor and a privileged bonehead with a failing business cross paths on a winter night and join forces in a quest around London to find a meaning to their miserable lives."

The film stars Alexander Lincoln, Jack Brett Anderson and the legendary David Bradley. 

Aside from providing kit, we also created a pathway to industry for three or our BFI Film Academy students to work on the production, as well as 2 young people from our 1825 Filmmakers group.

More recently, we worked with Solent University to host a test screening. The feedback received has helped inform the edit as the film reaches its conclusion.

1999 - Short Film Support
During the summer we worked with Harry New on his short film '1999.' What began as an idea in our Writers’ Group gradually evolved into a fully-fledged project, with a talented crew formed through our 1825 Filmmakers group and alumni from our BFI Film Academy. Guided by our Head of Production, Harry’s vision came to fruition, culminating in a special screening for family and friends at Solent University Cinema. 

We are delighted to share that Harry has since been awarded a bursary scholarship by the Royal Television Society whilst he studies at the University of Sunderland. 

​The Sister Queens
We have been working with the talented Amy Goodman to document her two sculptures commemorating HM Queen Elizabeth II for Test Valley Council. The first Queen was unveiled on Friday 27th September at Town Mills Riverside Park, Andover.

In Training for a Heroine
At City Eye, we are blessed with in-house film & photography facilities which are available for hire. We were delighted to assist Mia Delve, James Hunter & Deborah Gearing (pictured) who used our sound suite to record voice-overs for the audio component of the In Training for a Heroine, Jane Austen's Writing Desk exhibition at God’s House Tower as part of the year-long celebration of Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, taking place in Southampton, and across the world.

You can visit the exhibition from 9th Jan - 23rd Feb.
More information here.

Short Stories for Kids Podcast
Our Production Lab has been making dreams come true! Supporting the production of Short Stories for Kids, a new animated YouTube series created by the producers of a popular children's podcast with over 600 episodes. The YouTube channel currently has 60 videos, over 36K subscribers, totalling well over a million views. 

The production lab is a great space for film & photography, offering green screen, studio lighting, black, grey or white backdrops. It can also be adapted into a rehearsal, meeting or training room. For hire enquiries contact:
[email protected]